- Common products like stain remover, cleaning spray, and air freshener may release risky chemicals.
- Exposure to chemicals from cleaners may cause respiratory issues or increased risk of cancer.
- New research suggests eco-friendly and unscented products may be safer choices.
Cleaning your home or office can produce hazardous chemicals, but choosing the right products may help mitigate the risk to your health and the environment, new research suggests.
Common commercial cleaning products like multipurpose sprays or air fresheners can fill indoor air with a type of substance linked to respiratory problems, according to researchers from the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit research and advocacy organization.
The researchers tested 30 different cleaning products, including some marketed as environmentally friendly and some without added scents. They included products like floor cleaner, glass cleaner, stain remover, and bathroom cleaner in the form of sprays, wipes, foam, and powders, The results of the peer-reviewed paper were published September 13 in the journal Chemosphere.
Within the 30 samples tested, they found more than 530 different types of chemicals called volatile organic compounds, which are released as gasses into the air when the products were used, were present. Nearly half of those detected are considered potentially dangerous to human health, according to regulations in California and Europe.
Volatile organic compounds include substances like formaldehyde, toluene, and chloroform, They're linked to respiratory issues like asthma and lung cancer, particularly when people are exposed to them frequently over time, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The chemicals can be especially risky to children, potentially causing developmental problems, neurological issues, or increased odds of cancer, some research suggests.
The researchers found that many of the products they tested emitted chemicals that could build up to significantly higher concentrations when used indoors, compared to when the products were used outside. They also found some of the chemicals lingered for days, or even longer, after use.
You can reduce your exposure to risky chemicals by buying 'green' products without artificial scents
The study also revealed that some cleaning products may be safer options. Cleaners labeled "green" or "eco-friendly" produced significantly fewer of the risky chemicals, and in smaller amounts, than their conventional counterparts. Similarly, unscented products made without added fragrances also had fewer emissions.
And of all the products tested, those labeled both "green" and "fragrance-free" produced the fewest fumes — nearly eight times fewer than conventional products, and four times fewer than eco-friendly products with fragrances.
The results suggest that using eco-friendly, unscented cleaning products may help mitigate the potential health risks of exposure to these chemicals, according to Samara Geller, senior director of cleaning science for the Environmental Working Group and co-author of the study.
"Going green with your cleaning products is an easy way to reduce exposure to harmful chemicals. This may be especially important for women's and children's health," Geller said in a press release.